THE House of Representatives on Monday adopted three resolutions congratulating and commending double Olympic Gold medal winner Carlos Edriel Yulo, Bronze medalists Nesthy Alcayde Petecio and Aira Cordero Villegas, and members of the Philippine delegation to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
The House also conferred the Congressional Medal of Distinction on Petecio, who won Bronze in the 57-kilogram boxing event, and Villegas, Bronze medal winner in the 50-kilogram boxing competition.
Last week, the House of Representatives adopted House Resolution (HR) No. 1864 in consolidation with other resolutions conferring Yulo the Congressional Medal of Excellence, the highest award given to Filipino achievers in sports, business, medicine, science and arts and culture.
On Monday, HR No. 1915 was adopted by the House of Representatives in consolidation with HR Nos. 1901, 1905, 1906, 1911, and 1914, granting Petecio the Congressional Medal of Distinction and Villegas the same honor through adopting HR No. 1916 in consolidation with HR Nos. 1889, 1891, 1895, 1896, 1898, 1909, and 1913.
HR No. 1917, which seeks to honor all Filipino athletes who competed in the last Olympics, was also adopted in consolidation with HR No. 1887.
The Philippines was represented in the Paris Olympics by 22 world-class athletes who competed in nine different sporting events, namely Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar for artistic gymnastics; Villegas, Petecio, Hergie Bacyadan, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial for boxing; Ernest John Obiena, John Cabang-Tolentino and Lauren Hoffman for athletics; Vanessa Sarno, John Febuar Ceniza and Elreen Ann Ando for weightlifting; Joanie Delgaco for rowing; Samantha Catantan for fencing; Kayla Sanchez and Jarod Hatch for swimming; Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina for golf; and Kiyomi Watanabe for judo.
The three resolutions authored by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos III, and Reps. Yedda K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre of Tingog Partylist.
“In a stunning display of exceptional strength, discipline, and perseverance, the Filipino athletes and their respective coaches and trainers led the Philippines to a spectacular 2024 Paris Summer Olympic finish, ranking first among all Southeast Asian countries and 37th all over the world,” the authors said.
“Coinciding with the country’s 100th year of participation in the Olympics in the same venue in 1924, this year’s triumph stands out as the most impressive finish in the country’s Olympic history, bringing immense pride and joy to the whole nation, uniting the country in celebration, and earning the respect and admiration not only of fellow Filipinos but also citizens of other Southeast Asian nations,” they said.
Speaker Romualdez and his colleagues said the Filipino Summer Olympics participants “delivered a stellar performance that surpassed the four-medal haul set during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, with two gold medals secured by Carlos Edriel Yulo for floor exercise and vault events in men’s artistic gymnastics; one bronze medal won by Aira Villegas for the women’s 50-kilogram boxing; and another bronze medal won by Nesthy Petecio for the women’s 57-kilogram boxing.”
They added that Yulo, in his unprecedented double Gold win, “accomplished what no other Filipino athlete has achieved as he dominated the men’s artistic gymnastics events with near-perfect routines that earned him the highest spot in Philippine Olympic history.”
They noted that other Filipino Olympians reached the medal round, namely Ernest John Obiena, who ranked 4th in men’s pole vault; Bianca Pagdanganan, who placed 4th in women’s individual stroke play in golf; and Elreen Ann Ando, who ranked 6th in women’s 59-kg weightlifting.
The resolutions’ authors and the House also recognized the efforts of the Philippine Olympic Committee headed by delegation President Abraham N. Tolentino, Secretary General Wharton Chan, chef de mission of the Philippine team to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics Gov. Jonvic Remulla, and officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, in partnership with the business sector, private organizations and individuals.
They said these organizations and personalities “provided vital and invaluable assistance that enhanced the competitiveness of and pushed the athletes to achieve such outstanding Olympic results.”
“The steadfast determination, athletic prowess, confidence, and patriotism exhibited by the athletes and coaches of the Philippine delegation in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics showcased the tenacity of Filipinos to prevail in the pursuit of excellence and elevated the Philippines as a dominant force with athletes of exceptional abilities in the Olympics,” they said.
In a separate resolution, Speaker Romualdez and his colleagues said despite her split-decision loss to 20-year-old Julia Szeremeta of Poland, Petecio secured the fourth medal for the Philippines following the unprecedented victory of Yulo and Villegas.
“Nesthy Petecio is the first Filipino boxer to win two Olympic medals, first Filipino to win an Olympic medal in women’s boxing, and fourth Filipino to win two Olympic medals, joining the prestigious list of athletes from the Philippines such as swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and gymnast Carlos Yulo who won more than one medal in the Olympics,” they said.
“For her impressive and remarkable performance in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics that brought immense pride and inspiration to the Filipino people, and sealed the consistency, excellence, and place of Filipino women boxers in the international arena, Nesthy Petecio deserves utmost recognition and commendation,” they said.
In the case of Villegas, Speaker Romualdez and his colleagues noted that she started her stellar performance in the Olympics women’s boxing event when she defeated Yasmine Mouttaki of Morocco and Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria via unanimous decision.
“Her victory against Wassila Lkhadiri of France via split decision made her qualify for the semi-final round against Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Turkiye. Despite her defeat against Buse Naz Cakiroglu, Aira Villegas secured a bronze medal for the Philippines on her Olympic debut,” they said.
They said Villegas, who is from Tacloban City, showed interest in boxing and trained for the sport at the age of 9.
“Motivated by her desire to support her parents and win medals for the country like her brothers, Aira Villegas joined the Association of Boxing Alliance in the Philippines at the age of 17, and moved from Tacloban to Manila to professionally pursue boxing,” they added.
Over 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees of various countries competed in 329 events across 32 sports and 48 disciplines.
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